riverviewlogs | [closed] a little party never killed nobody

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[closed] a little party never killed nobody

who: The IPRE + friends
what: A dinner party!
when: Novemeber 18
where: Chez IPRE
warnings: some mild drug use (alcohol + marijuana)

Party time, motherfuckers.

After sending out invitations, the IPRE (mostly Taako, because he's the most extra of the group) spends a significant amount of the week preparing for the party, making sure they have all the food, decorations, and wine necessary to put on a good evening. The whole point of this is to be a distraction from a shitty month, and to get everyone together, since they have a range of friends who haven't all met each other. They've been talking about doing something like this for months, so it's nice to finally pull it all together.

Upon arrival (and despite Taako and Lup's involvement) the decorations are minimal. Couches have been transmuted from their regular fabric to rich velvets, there's a little glitz and feathers here and there, but they didn't want to go too hard on the theme. It was just a way to have a little fun with the evening. The bar cart, on the other hand, is definitely in line with Speakeasy, featuring a lot of gin and whiskey based drinks, though anyone with a preference for wine or beer won't be disappointed.

The start of the evening is dedicated to introductions and mingling, probably helped by the alcohol, though there's also cheese and antipasto plates set out, just in case anyone was worried about not being fed at something hosted by two chefs.

As a way to break the ice, and to get people talking and having fun before the evening really kicks off, the brick wall of the small living room has been set aside as the designated backdrop for a 'photo booth', which mostly consists of a few instant cameras, including one that takes what are essentially magical gifs, so long as the button is held down for 5 seconds. There are a few props that match the theme of the evening - fur stoles, feather headbands, felt hats, long strings of pearls - to make the photos a little more fun.

Once everyone is seated in the dining room, it's time for dinner. The food brought out for the main meal is warm and rich without being too heavy, slow cooked meats and roasted vegetables can be mixed with salads and lighter sides to avoid anyone slipping into a food coma before dessert has even begun. Everything is set in the middle of the table, for people to serve themselves, so they can pick and choose what they want to try. Lup has made at least one incredibly spicy dish, so be careful.

While there's no rush to leave the table, eventually plates are cleared away (by magic, so none of the hosts have to stop chatting) and everyone is ushered into the larger of their living rooms, where the small coffee table has been replaced by a seemingly floating table that's large enough to accommodate all the desserts. There are various pies (pecan, pumpkin, cherry), apple & maple cake, chocolate tarts, brownies and trifle. There aren't quite as many options as there were on the dinner table, but it's near a thing, especially when the section of the table devoted to cream, ice cream and sauces is taken into consideration.

Dessert is an extended affair, pies will stay warm and ice cream will stay frozen for as long as they remain on the table, so people can return and try more even as the rest of the night presses on. And although the food is, really, the main attraction of any kind of event that Taako is involved with, that doesn't mean there aren't things to do other than eating.

Once the dining room table has been cleared, (plastic) champagne glasses are laid out in what might be a familiar formation to anyone who went to college, especially when a ping pong ball is added to the mix. It's beer pong! Except it's actually prosecco pong, because this is a classy joint, not some frat. Or at least, that's the excuse.

There are a few other things to do, mostly in the more generic range of party games, including a deck of Cards Against Humanity that Taako discovered a couple weeks ago and had been delighted by. He's definitely going to wrangle people into a game of Never Have I Ever, maybe Truth Or Dare, and anything else he can think of that requires drinking alcohol and saying stupid shit. What better way is there to get to know people?

As things wind down, the backdoors open up into the courtyard, where a fire is set up, cushions and blankets placed outside for people to curl up with. The fixings for s'mores are available for anyone who somehow still has room to eat more food, and there's mulled cider just in case the fire isn't enough to keep people warm. It's a nice way to wrap up the evening.

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[Bryn is more than happy to spend an evening at a dinner party with friends. It's been a rough and emotional week for Thor, and by extension for Bryn as well. She's hoping that something low-key like this will be good for both of them. Because Taako and the IPRE are hosting, she takes it upon herself to dress for the theme, covering it with a coat only because of the chill in the air outside. Her hair is curled and pinned up in a messy sort of style, and in lieu of a purse she instead carries Qiri in one arm as the other is looped through Thor's.

Most of the evening she can be found by Thor's side, happily indulging in the glow of their new relationship and confessions of love, but it doesn't keep her from mingling among the other guests, curious to meet those she doesn't know or get to know those she's met before better. Not about to miss out on anything after all of the effort the IPRE crew has gone to in hosting this party, she can be found most anywhere during the evening. Taking pictures, sampling appetizers, chatting with those she's seated near at the dinner table and trying half a dozen desserts with joyful abandon. Qiri, excited by the hustle and bustle of the dinner party, is set loose among the guests to sniff at everything and everyone and to beg for treats with a wag of his tail.

After dinner, she's certainly not above challenging others to a game of prosecco pong, solo or in teams. For someone as petite as she is, she manages to hold her liquor quite well, even when she settles in for a game of Never Have I Ever.

By the end of the evening, however, her shoes are kicked off and her hair somewhat mussed from all of the activities. Bryn tugs Thor outside to curl up with her outside for a s'more or two.]

[For anyone else, Thor might have declined the invitation to go out tonight. After receiving his memories and changes from home, he's been in fairly low spirits. The invitation, however, comes from Taako. He's accompanying Bryn as a couple and he's already asked Sif to come. It takes a bit of effort to put on a happy face, but the more he pretends to be in a good mood, the more he manages to ease into one naturally.

Thor obviously hasn't dressed himself, but he wears the clothing well. People who know him in passing will note that his hair has been shorn and that he has a black patch on his right eye, both of these changes are fresh and require some adjusting.

Given that Thor hasn't been out in public much since acquiring these changes, he's still in an adjustment period. Occasionally he will reach for a serving of food and miss the bowl, he can't pour his own drink without spilling it next to the cup and often when he waves, he waves at the space next to his intended person. His frustration is clearly mounting, but he laughs it off and buries his pride when help is offered.

Thor doesn't play prosecco pong, he's too proud to play at such a disadvantage. Instead, he stands on the sidelines and barks encouragement or critiques. He's backseat pong playing. He's also on a heavy drinking streak when it comes to Never Have I Ever, when you've lived over a thousand years you start to cover all of your bases. It's starting to be a contest to find things he hasn't done. Thor quite enjoys Cards Against Humanity, but his expression is grave when he finally plays his instant victory card. If they're betting, he hopes to win a large sum for that one.

Thor can be persuaded into almost any game, but he quite often finds himself nestled by the fire. He doesn't so much mind if he's alone, but he gets a little lost staring into the flames.]

Edited 2017-11-19 03:40 (UTC)

[Taako is not, by any means, the most extroverted of the IPRE, but he loves a party and he loves a party where he knows pretty much everyone, because it means he doesn't have to put too much effort into being charming and likeable if they already like him. It means that although he's very much dressed up, his overall demeanour is easy going and casual, more so than he tends to be at other parties.

The main thing he wants is for people to have fun, so any wallflowers will get dragged into a conversation, and if anyone seems to be having any kind of reservations he'll be the first to approach them for a chat, especially later in the evening when there's not a table to draw everyone around.

He doesn’t actually set himself a seat at that table, though, allowing himself to flit around and drop in beside people when he wants to chat, leaning over the backs of chairs and probably stealing food off plates when he feels peckish. He trusts the rest of the IPRE to do the rounds as well, but he wants to make sure he talks to everyone who's here for at least a little while, and getting that done at the dinner table is easy enough.

Unlike some people (Magnus), Taako isn't super competitive, but he still has fun with the assorted games, maybe using the occasional bit of magic to help out with prosecco pong - it's not cheating if no one sees - and definitely trying to one-up people at Never Have I Ever. He's done a lot of wild stuff, but he's also missing a lot of typical experiences thanks to growing up the way he and Lup did, so there's a few things he can get people on. And if anyone thinks they're safe from the photobooth, they've very wrong. It's gonna happen if Taako has to drag people kicking and screaming, that's just what they signed up for when they befriended him.

In all honesty, though, the end of the night is his favourite part. For the first time in a while, Taako feels at peace. Between the ghosts, the memories, the bullshit with the cult and his own stupid decisions, it's been a while since he's felt truly, properly relaxed. And for all his pretence at not caring about people or not needing them or not wanting to get attached, this is what he's always craved; connections and relationships, the chance to sit around a fire with people he likes, pleasantly drunk and full of good food. It's what he misses about the Starblaster and he's happy that he's at least managed to recreate that feeling in a smaller dose, with the people here.

The combination of alcohol, food and a pleasant mood mean that he has absolutely no qualms about draping himself over people if they happen to be in a spot that he'd also like to occupy. On the plus side, he doesn't weigh all that much, and he has a joint in his pocket that he'll light up after a little while and pass around, so it's not all bad.]

i. arriving

[ Cisco shows up to the party at the official start time (though he does wait until the invitation card's countdown reaches '0', because he wants to see the result. He has done his best with the theme, showing up looking rather dapper indeed. He has a waistcoat, his phone on a fancy watch chain, and he's even added the most gangstery-looking hat he could find.

He'll be mingling for a while at the start of the party, enjoying the decorations, showing off his look, and chatting with friends. ]

ii. dessert

[ Cisco is glad that he went easy on the dinner foods, once he sees the selection of sweet stuff on offer afterwards. In true Cisco fashion, he tries to get himself a tiny taste of just about everything. You'd think from the way he's eating that the guy is fueled on pure sugar. It wouldn't be an entirely inaccurate assessment. As he is looking over the options he turns to whoever is next to him to ask: ]

These are just brownies, right? Or are they, like... brownies?

[ He just wants to know before he devours an entire one in 2 seconds flat. He really doesn't want to spoil the twins's beautiful party by getting problematically high on edibles. ]

iii. party games

[ Cisco should absolutely know by now that getting himself involved in a game of Never Have I Ever is not going to end well. At best, it will be TMI and he will learn more than he ever wanted to know about his friends. At worst, he is going to be disillusioning some folks about his own innocence (at least, in certain regards). But dammit if he just can't help himself. It's much, much too much fun to resist.

He's basically sober when the game starts, but with a freshly-mixed sidecar in his hand, he's all ready to participate, and damn the consequences. When it comes around to his turn he thinks for a moment, chewing at his lip, before saying: ]

Hmmm... never have I ever... leapt from a moving vehicle.

[ That seems like some pretty basic reckless behavior for a bunch of heroic and foolhardy types. ]

iv. winding down

[ After all the games and drinks and the dinner, it's nice to go out under the stars. Cisco finds a cushy spot to curl up, making himself a positive nest of blankets and pillows, holding mulled cider in his hands more to smell it and leech its warmth through his hands than actually to drink it. He watches a few people making s'mores, blinking slowly and happily, feeling a little worn out and a little quiet and very content. ]

(The food and alcohol unlocks a similarly relaxed state in Lucretia, who boldly comes to sit next to Taako after finding him cross-legged in front of the fire. She leans her shoulder against his, turning her head to press a kiss against his cheek in a fit of fondness. This atmosphere reminds her of the better evenings on the Starblaster too, of sharing blankets and watching the stars from the deck, and Taako or Lup doling out hot chocolate spiked with baileys by the mugful, and camping overnight in the common area, too lazy to go back to their own quarters.

She misses that closeness very much, but tonight isn't at all melancholic for her. It's simply softer, more nostalgic, and she's happy.)

Hi. Tonight has been wonderful, Taako. Well done.

(Lucretia, who is giving prosecco pong a go with mostly disastrous results, is trying very hard to deal with not being immediately good at something. This is proving difficult thanks to the people watching her miss the little champagne glasses over and over (she suspects Taako has tipped a few out of perfect trajectory with mage hand, but she hasn't quite caught him at it yet). Thor is right behind and shouting advice at her, which isn't helpful, and when the ball hits one of the glasses and simply bounces back toward her, she catches it on the full.

Beer pong rules dictate a trick shot (they're playing with the same rules, right?); turning, she tosses the ball to Thor with a raised eyebrow and thinly veiled irritation.)

Could I be so bold as to call you in for a guest shot? You seem to know your way about this better than I do.

(Lucretia hasn't seen Bryn since she opened her canister, which she feels slightly on edge about (and only because of how close she is to Taako); her change in appearance does not seem to register with Qiri, how ever. The little dog comes bounding up to where she's sitting on one of the couches with her plate on her lap, and while she had been enjoying herself by watching Beverly flit in and out of the crowd, she's more than happy to lift her plate out of the way with a soft laugh, and reach down to give the dog a good stroke.)

Oh, hello again. Are you here all alone?

(Lucretia, who is hovering behind him with an empty plate and clean cutlery in her hand wondering where on earth to start (everything looks so amazing), squints at brownies Cisco is gesturing to.)

They're clean. Lup dusts them extra hard with frosting sugar if they're laced.

(Maybe she thinks it makes them look more appealing? Lucretia's always thought they seemed more suspicious, like that.)

Besides, I think they're playing it safe for the night. If there are any brownies, they'll be sign-posted.

(Lucretia has come to the party with Beverly on her arm and it's clear to anybody watching just how happy she is about it. She's chosen a more simplistic, albeit masculine vibe for her outfit (though she has a little sprig of flowers sticking out of one of the breast pockets of her shirt, just to break it up a little), and is delighted to see how she contrasts with Taako and his usual glitzy attire. She spends the start of the party mingling, introducing Beverly to her friends and lingering by the fancy little table of glasses and various drink options, trying to decide on which note she'd like to start her night.

You'd think that somebody who has spent one hundred years (give or take) with two chefs would be accustomed to their cooking by now but Lucretia finds that Taako and Lup are continuously coming up with new ways to bowl her over. She'll be commentating on how much she loves everything through the span of the meal, unable to help herself as she angles to try a bit of everything... even Lup's incredibly spicy dish, hidden in plain sight in the middle of the table. That is one Lucretia finds she cannot comment on, but only because she has to keep her mouth shut so she won't start coughing. She's determined not to react and give Lup the satisfaction, but hopefully somebody notices she's struggling and can pass her a glass of something cold!

She joins in on several of the games. While she's never been much of a party animal, she's more relaxed around good company and it reminds her too much of mucking about on the Starblaster for her to decline any invitation to play. Cards against Humanity only makes her feel guilty for laughing so much so that game may have to be swiftly abandoned; she's rubbish at prosecco pong, but hopefully gains points for trying; and Never Have I Ever is a sleeper hit because while she may seem like she hasn't a lot to offer, she has lived a full century of shenanigans with some of the craziest people she's ever known. She's drinking a lot more than one might expect.

Eventually the evening winds down and Lucretia retreats to the coziness of the fire, nursing a half-filled mug of mulled wine (her favourite). She couldn't possibly spare room for s'mores, but she's more than happy to sit back on the fringes of the gathering and watch her friends quietly talk and enjoy themselves. This is one of her favourite things in the world to do. She's very content and relaxed, much more so than she has been in a very, very long time.)

[ Unlike Thor, Loki seems to be in his element. Dressed in pinstripes, he twirls his bowler hat before neatly tossing it on top of the coat rack without blinking and immediately grabs himself a drink. As much as he "enjoyed" the Grandmaster's parties, he made it a point not to get too close to the people there. There's no tension in his eyes, no glimmer of madness and violence that always seems to mirror Loki's form. Which isn't to say it isn't there but even people who know him well would have trouble finding it.

He can be found easily winning at prosecco pong (but is he cheating?). There definitely seem to be too many balls in that half-second before it makes contact. As for Cards Against Humanity, Loki has a zingers, though he's constantly wondering why his name pops up in the cards constantly. The price of fame clearly. He might also be lying a bit at Never Have I Ever when he talks about body glitter and one night he spent with the centaurs. Probably.

Loki tends to be not far from Thor, but he wanders away from the fire after a while. It feels like too much. ]

Edited 2017-11-19 10:12 (UTC)

[ He blinks. And eyes Cisco pointedly. ]

I assume you do not wear spandex either.

[ Loki discreetly nudges the cup without a word as he grabs himself another drink. ]

[Taako lets out a pleased little hum at Lucretia's presence, waiting until she's finished smooching him on the cheek to turn and do the same to her, except he blows a raspberry, instead.

He laughs at his own dumb prank, then rests his chin on her shoulder, nose still pressed against her cheek.]

It's pretty ballin', right?

[Qiri probably doesn't deserve the treatment that he's getting right now, because there's a very fluffy ragdoll who always seems to be just out of reach, carefully batting the dog on the nose, or waving its tail in his face before leaping up onto couches or bookshelves.

Eventually, the cat runs out of places to well, run, and as Qiri chases it, the fluffy thing practically climbs Bryn like a tree (without getting claws involved) perching precariously on her shoulder as Qiri barks.

It's cha boy, tormenting Bryn's poor dog.]

[Just like any good, backseat driver, Thor looks surprised when Lucretia calls on him to help. He's visibly sheepish, because he knows damn well he was being obnoxious.

Thor reaches to try catch the ball when Lucretia throws it toward him, but it passes through his hands and gently bounces off his forehead instead.]

I admit I've been..somewhat critical of your moves so far, but I hope you'll trust me when I tell you that this is your worst move yet.

We don't know that the table wasn't enjoying that. [Gruffly.] Father made it look easy.

What's the difference between brownies and brownies? [Thor says, on his fourth brownie of the evening.]

Father — [ And it's so strange to hear that in his own voice but Loki doesn't linger on it. ] — had decades of practice to get used to it.

[ And Frigga, but Loki isn't foolish enough to mention that ]

It's still hard to imagine him being hit on the forehead with a ping pong ball.

[Thor considers.] I suppose if it did happen, nobody would have lived to tell the tale.

[Thor doesn't pretend to know what a s'more is, but he doesn't object to being lead outside. The fresh, cool air is nice in contrast to the warm of the fire. It's a perfectly intimate situation and it's a simple pleasure that he values.

Besides, he's always liked fire.

He lets Bryn determine when a s'more becomes a s'more, he focuses on keeping his arms wrapped around her.]

Do I need to ask if you've enjoyed yourself?

[ Loki snorts lightly, twirling his glass with his fingers. ]

Death for seeing the highest patriarch in an unseemly fashion. That sounds true to form.

a. mingling
[ Hana had to do some research to figure out what exactly the "Speakeasy" theme meant in so far as dressing up, but she hopes her ensemble fits the bill; while her hair (which she's painstakingly styled into loose curls for the evening) is much longer than the typical bob of those times, she's also wearing a headband with white feathers adorning it in another attempt to fit into the theme.

It doesn't occur to her until she arrives at the party that apart from a handful of people, she really doesn't know anyone else who's at this party. If that would make her a little shy, it doesn't show at all; she'll readily introduce herself as Hana to anyone she might not already know, and before dinner she commands the photo booth perfectly, posing for pictures with people, by herself, or even offering pose and facial expression advice to others taking pictures. ]

b. dessert
[ While dinner was definitely fancy and decadent and probably unlike any sort of fancy dinner Hana's ever had to attend, in the end she's a young lady with a serious sweet tooth, so when they're shuffled into the room with all the desserts, it doesn't take long for Hana to be found with a pile of sweets on her plate. Just a little bit of everything, one... 'food group' at a time. Pies first, then cakes, then the chocolate treats, then finally the trifle, and each plate is accompanied with a small scoop of ice cream, a different flavor each time. It's a bit of a wonder that she can stomach so much food in such a petite frame, but that's D.Va for you. ]

c. games
[ Okay, Hana has never played this game, beer-edition or otherwise, but it doesn't take her long to catch onto what to do and, most importantly, how to win. It's at this point that her competitive side really shines through, and with each flute of champagne she imbibes her reactions get more and more animated. She cheers and gets very excited whenever she nails a shot, visibly frustrated when she does. Still, she does her part and drinks the bubbly when it's required of her. It's probably a good thing they've already eaten so much by this point.

Later, she takes to Cards Against Humanity. Hana hasn't really played these kinds of games, either. Video games are her forte and finding people who wanted to play card games was pretty rare. She finds that she likes this one, though, and it's made all the more hilarious by how awful some of these cards are. It's her turn to judge, now, and she's reading each of the responses out loud, prefaced by the prompt she'd drawn. ]

This is the prime of my life. I'm young, hot, and full of... [ she pulls the last submitted card, ] "Poor life choices."

Wow, okay, which one of you was that one, huh?

d. courtyard
[ By the end of the evening, Hana's full of yummy food, booze, and she feels... content. Last month was rough, but slowly she's beginning to find solace in the company of others - or to let herself find solace in the company of others. Once she finds a nice, big, fluffy pillow to sit on outside and kicks off her shoes, she sort of just... flops onto the pillow, stretching her legs out in front of her before settling in. She's too full to partake in the s'mores (for now) but she's enjoying just vegging out near the fire.

She does get a bit chilly, though, whenever a breeze rolls through. Her jacket was still inside and her dress left her arms and shoulders exposed. Maybe a blanket would be in order... ]

[ Bill is here to get her mingle on, dressed in a Josephine Baker-inspired black dress with peacock feather overlay, with her hair tucked into a loose bun and a simple sparkly headband across her forehead. It's probably the most on-theme she's ever dressed for a party, but it feels appropriate for a shindig hosted by the most fabulous elf she knows.

She enjoys every bite of the main meal (yes, even Lup's spiciest dish), and after dinner grabs herself a slice of pie and a scoop of ice cream, feeling very continental. She sits and watches the party games, only really participating when she's dragged into it-- such as when someone asks her, "Truth or Dare?" ]

Oh, me? I suppose... Truth, then.

Does it count if I was mind controlled at the time?

[This seems like an important distinction to make, partly because he's many drinks in and needs to not drink too much more lest he lose.]

[ It's always awkward, seeing someone you've dated with a new girl on her arm. Even if Bill wasn't interested in Lucretia that way anymore, it still stings a little to see her happy with someone else. She's happy for her, really. And it isn't like she doesn't have Heather waiting for her on the other side of the portal. Still, Bill isn't sure what to say to Lucretia when she sees her, ducking out of sight for the first half of the party rather than face the elephant in the room.

It's only when she sees Lucretia struggling after taking a bite of Lup's spiciest dish, that she leans over and quietly offers her glass. It's a cocktail of Kahlua, Baileys, coffee and milk. ]

Here, the milk will help with the spiciness.

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[closed] a little party never killed nobody

bryn zethir

thor odinson

cha boy taako

cisco ramon

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ii

lucretia ♡

loki

[ iii ]

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this got in my head and i had to do it

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hana song

Bill Potts 》ota

iii

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